The long battle for Oak Flat, one of the many sacred sites held by the Apache Stronghold and the San Carlos Apache Tribe, just got interesting. A U.S. district judge in Arizona has now issued a 60-day reprieve in the legal battle over its possible transfer for a massive copper mining complex. Chi’chil Bildagoteel is the culturally important home of the San Francisco Peaks Dine’é clan. It is home to old growth oak forests and sacred traditional flora that are considered essential to Apache faith.
Our Oak Flat struggle is now going on almost two decades. It all began with a Forest Service-sponsored legislation that would exchange the land to allow ongoing mining operations. The U.S. government wants to give this land to a foreign mining company. This company is jointly owned by the international behemoths Rio Tinto and BHP, and it is the first step toward a 7 billion dollar copper mega-mine. This infrastructure project is projected to pump nearly $1 billion a year into Arizona’s economy and create thousands of jobs.
In 2021, Apache Stronghold and the San Carlos Apache Tribe stood up to the U.S. government. They battled the land swap to save Oak Flat, making clear that this unique area is central to their cultural and spiritual rituals. In the ongoing lawsuit, the judge has already ruled against motions to halt the land transfer. The unexpected order to delay provides all parties with more time to thoroughly review environmental studies and file updated grievances.
Chairman Terry Rambler of the San Carlos Apache Tribe voiced his concerns regarding the implications of the proposed mining project, stating, “The bill was not in the best interest of the American people, Arizona, or my tribe.” This sentiment encapsulates the deep seated fear that tribal leaders have expressed in testimony regarding the deleterious effects of mining activity on sacred lands.
The lawyers for the U.S. government and the mining company both consented to the 60-day extension. This period will permit further analysis of environmental considerations, which many advocates believe are crucial given the area’s spiritual significance and ecological attributes.
Apache Stronghold representative Wendsler Nosie Sr. expressed the urgency of his community’s situation. President Biden, he argued, must act, and so must Congress. He stated, “In this critical moment, we call on the Trump administration and Congress to halt the transfer to a Chinese-owned mine, and honor what is sacred.”
Vicky Peacey, representing the mining company, maintains confidence in the project’s legal standing, asserting that “We are confident the project satisfies all applicable legal requirements.” This account highlights the different lenses through which economic development proponents and sacred land preservation advocates view the issue.
The future of this ongoing lawsuit remains uncertain. Preparations Both sides are already preparing for the next battle in this complicated case. Because deeply engrained cultural values and huge economic interests are in the balance. Oak Flat has become a touchstone that highlights the alternative reality of the continuing fight between native sovereignty and corporate interests.
